Problem: Simplify the following expression: ${-(-4-a)-4(-4a-7)}$
Solution: The minus sign in front of the parentheses means we multiply each term inside the first parentheses by ${-1}$ $ {-1(}\gray{-4-a}{)} - 4(-4a-7) $ $ {4+a} - 4(-4a-7) $ Distribute the ${-4}$ into the parentheses: $ 4+a {-4(}\gray{-4a-7}{)} $ $ 4+a + {16a+28} $ Rewrite the expression to group the ${a}$ terms and numeric terms: $ {a + 16a} + {4 + 28}$ Combine the ${a}$ terms: $ {17a} + {4 + 28}$ Combine the numeric terms: $ {17a} + {32}$ The simplified expression is $17a+32$